Sports briefs
In the NFL
The Cleveland Browns didn’t wait for Deshaun Watson to tell them he couldn’t play.
Two weeks after Watson surprised them before kickoff by saying he couldn’t play with a shoulder injury, the Browns officially ruled the quarterback out Friday and named P.J. Walker, currently on the practice squad, their starter Sunday against unbeaten San Francisco.
Walker went 4-3 in seven starts over the past three seasons for the Carolina Panthers. In 15 career games, he’s completed 131 of 228 passes (57.5%) with five touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
• New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones will not play Sunday night against the Buffalo Bills because of a neck injury.
Coach Brian Daboll on Friday listed Jones as out for the game along with left tackle Andrew Thomas, rookie center John Michael Schmitz, outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari and backup tackle Matt Peart.
Veteran backup Tyrod Taylor, who spent three seasons with the Bills, will start for New York, his first start since late in 2021 with Houston.
Star running back Saquon Barkley, who sprained an ankle on Sept. 17, has been close to returning the past two weeks. His status was listed as questionable.
• Chuba Hubbard will start at running back Sunday for the Carolina Panthers against the Miami Dolphins with veteran Miles Sanders ruled out with a shoulder injury.
• The Chicago Bears have placed running back Khalil Herbert on injured reserve along with wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown.
The Bears announced the moves two days before their home game against the Minnesota Vikings. Chicago also signed quarterback Nathan Peterman from the practice squad to the active roster.
In golf
First-round co-leader Maja Stark of Sweden took the lead on her own Friday with a 4-under 68 that left her with a one-stroke lead after two rounds at the LPGA Shanghai tournament.
Stark had a two-round total of 10-under 134 on the Qizhong Garden Golf Club course in the LPGA’s first return to China since 2019 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Two-time defending champion Danielle Kang of the U.S. and Yu Liu of China, who both shot 67 in rainy conditions, were tied for second.
In the NBA
Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges turned himself in on Friday after an arrest warrant was issued for an alleged protection order violation stemming from a domestic violence case last year.
Bridges turned himself in early in the morning in Lincoln County, a suburb of Charlotte. He was accompanied by his attorney, according to Larry Seagle, the public information officer for the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
Bridges appeared before a district court judge and was released on $1,000 bond.